Data published in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology by researchers at the Ruhr-Universität Bochum found an increase in cell proliferation and improvement in wound healing if certain olfactory receptors in the skin are activated.

Researchers cloned and functionally expressed the cutaneous olfactory receptor OR2AT4 and found a synthetic sandalwood odorant, known as Sandalore, as an agonist of the receptor. When activated, OR2AT4 triggers a calcium-dependent signal pathway which ensures an increased proliferation and a quicker migration of skin cells.